Organizing for America

DEBATE REALITY CHECK: VOTING RECORDS

TONIGHT:

McCain: “Senator Obama has the most liberal voting record in the United States Senate.”

THE FACTS: MCCAIN PRAISED OBAMA AS A CENTRIST, MCCAIN VOTED WITH BUSH 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME

McCain Praised Obama As “Very Impressive, He’s Thoughtful, He’s Centrist.” Sen. John McCain said of Obama: “He's very impressive, he's thoughtful, he's centrist.” [The Tribune (Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce, FL), 12/18/05]

Politifact: McCain And Other Republicans Cite A National Journal Rating That Obama Is The Most Liberal Senator But “Other Measurements Tell A Different Story.” Politifact, a service of CQ and the St. Petersburg Times wrote, “McCain and other Republicans cite a National Journal rating to claim that Obama is the Senate's No. 1 liberal. But other measurements tell a different story. It’s a line you’ll hear many times from Sen. John McCain over the next five months: ‘In just a few years in office, Sen. Obama has accumulated the most liberal voting record in the Senate.’ But McCain’s campaign also pointed out recently that Barack Obama votes with President Bush about half the time.” [Politifact, 6/16/08 ]

McCain Has Voted With Bush 90 Percent Of The Time In The Senate. According to Congressional Quarterly, McCain has voted in support of President Bush's position 90 percent of the time since the beginning of his administration. [Congressional Quarterly, 8/15/08, http://www.cqpolitics.com/cq-assets/cqmultimedia/flash/votestudy/index.html ]

McCain: On The “Most Important Issues Of Our Day, I Have Been Totally In Agreement And Support Of President Bush.” In a June 2005 interview on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” John McCain stated that he was a strong supporter of President Bush: “I have agreed with President Bush far more than I have disagreed. And on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I have been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.” [NBC, “Meet The Press,” 6/19/05]